Men's Footwear Shopping Guide: Part 1 Boutiques February 09 2015

Building a great men’s footwear collection is an exciting albeit daunting exercise. Shoes built with Goodyear or Blake construction methods using high quality, durable leathers can last a liftetime if cared for regularly with Petri Polish products.

To help you on your search for the finest footwear in the world, we’ve put together the following list of some of our favorite places to shop. Each offers unique twists on classics made by some of the most venerable shoemakers on the planet.

Skoaktiebolaget may be located in Sweden, but for customers here in the States they offer fast and cheap shipping along with automatic VAT deductions. This means that shoes purchased from their world-class selection come in at 20% off from the start. With a beautifully curated selection from four of our favorite brands, these Skoaktiebolaget is tough to beat for anything from a relatively rare pair of button-boots from Enzo Bonafe to a more subdued pair of wholecuts in Carmina’s gorgeous Museum Calf. Gaziano & Girling and Edward Green round out the selection at the high end, with the finest footwear in the world. Don’t let the prices scare you though, as many shoes can be found in the $300-range in the Carmina collection--and you’ll be getting shoes of a quality far exceeding that price tag. Check out the “odd-stock” selection frequently for can’t-miss deals on leftover sizes.

Epaulet New York is a fabulous menswear boutique with locations in New York and California. Check out their website for some of the finest Alden and Carmina makeups to be found. Epaulet’s owners go out of their way to bring their customers some of the most interesting (yet timeless) shoe designs available today through collaborations with the finest shoemakers in the world. Check out their Alden Innsbruk collection for Epaulet, featuring bulletproof construction and knockout looks: rich brown Horween Chromexcel uppers, antique pre-stitch reverse welts, and brass eyelets combine for a tough-to-beat combination. Check out Epaulet’s new line of tennis sneakers for a wide array of classic colors in a casual yet sophisticated style.

Leffot’s boutique on Manhattan’s Christopher Street stuns with just a single table filled with its offerings--offerings that include a breathtaking assortment of the most incredible shoes from around the world. Corthay’s classic Arca model features lines as exquisite as those found on any sports car, with deep, sensual colors to match. No one’s interpretation of a classic oxford could possibly be more beautful than that of Saint Crispin’s. And rugged, stylish boots from Viberg (in rare leather such as buffalo!) reward owners with looks and longevity that are unrivaled among bootmakers. Be sure to stay up to date on the group orders that frequently take place. Currently, a great selection of Alden makeups in Natural CXL is on offer.